SoftBank has completed its sweeping $40 billion investment commitment to OpenAI, marking a defining moment in the global race to dominate artificial intelligence infrastructure and applications, sources familiar with the matter told CNBC.
According to people close to the transaction, the Japanese investment group transferred a final tranche of between $22 billion and $22.5 billion to the ChatGPT maker last week. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the details have not been publicly disclosed. Combined with earlier funding, the move lifts SoftBank’s total exposure to OpenAI above the $40 billion mark and gives the conglomerate a stake of more than 10% in the company.
SoftBank had previously invested $8 billion directly into OpenAI and syndicated an additional $10 billion alongside co-investors. CNBC reported in February that the group was finalizing the broader $40 billion investment at a pre-money valuation of about $260 billion, placing OpenAI among the most valuable private companies in the world, on par with the biggest names in global technology.
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At the time, the funding was expected to be paid out over a 12- to 24-month period, with part of the capital earmarked for OpenAI’s expanding artificial intelligence infrastructure ambitions. That includes Stargate, a major joint venture involving OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, designed to build massive computing capacity to meet soaring demand for advanced AI models.
The investment underscores the scale at which OpenAI is now operating. The company has committed more than $1.4 trillion in infrastructure spending over the coming years, according to CNBC, locking in long-term agreements with chipmakers including Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, and Broadcom. Those commitments reflect the enormous compute requirements of next-generation AI systems, as competition intensifies among tech giants and startups alike.
SoftBank’s move fits squarely within founder Masayoshi Son’s long-standing thesis that artificial intelligence will underpin the next phase of global economic growth. The group has a long history of bold technology bets and was an early investor in Nvidia, now one of the biggest beneficiaries of the AI boom. That relationship, however, has evolved. Last month, SoftBank liquidated its entire $5.8 billion stake in Nvidia, a decision that raised eyebrows given the chipmaker’s central role in AI computing.
A separate source familiar with the sale told CNBC that the Nvidia exit, along with other liquidity measures, was partly aimed at freeing up capital to support SoftBank’s massive OpenAI investment. This month, the conglomerate also agreed to pay $4 billion to acquire data center investment firm DigitalBridge, strengthening its control over the physical infrastructure required to power AI workloads.
For OpenAI, SoftBank’s backing adds to an already formidable roster of supporters. Microsoft remains a cornerstone investor and strategic partner, having poured billions into the company over several funding rounds. CNBC has also reported that OpenAI is exploring the possibility of securing more than $10 billion in additional funding from Amazon, further underscoring the intense competition among Big Tech firms to align themselves with the AI leader.
Beyond cloud and enterprise partnerships, OpenAI has been broadening its commercial reach. Disney recently invested $1 billion in the company, striking a deal that allows users of OpenAI’s video-generation tool Sora to create content featuring licensed characters such as Mickey Mouse. The agreement highlights how OpenAI’s technology is increasingly being woven into media, entertainment, and consumer-facing products.
The company is also widely expected to be laying the groundwork for a future initial public offering, though no timeline has been formally announced. If and when that happens, SoftBank’s $40 billion bet could become one of the most consequential wagers in its history, rivaling earlier high-profile investments that defined the group’s legacy.
The completed funding cements SoftBank’s position as one of OpenAI’s most influential backers, at least for now, and signals just how far investors are willing to go to secure a foothold in what many see as the most transformative technology wave of the century.